Bowel cancer in young people is skyrocketing. Researchers think the answer could be in the gut microbiome
Queensland researchers will study if the gut microbiome is linked to the alarming rise in bowel cancer among younger Australians.
While screening programs have helped reduce bowel cancer in people over 50, it remains one of our deadliest cancers with more than 5000 Australians dying from the disease each year.
The rate of younger people being diagnosed is rising, with Australia now having the highest incidence of bowel cancer in the world in people under 50.
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Researchers are looking at whether changes in the gut microbiome are driving the rise in rates of bowel cancer in people under 50. iStock
"Genetics haven't changed significantly in recent decades, so we're looking at environmental exposures — particularly the effect of diet," Mater Research's Associate Professor Jakob Begun said.
"Ultra-processed foods, high meat consumption, low fibre intake, as well as antibiotic use, are all likely influencing the microbiome in ways that increase cancer risk."
Research has shown that the food we eat and the composition of the gut microbiome has a significant impact on a range of diseases.
This new research looks at how environmental and dietary factors affect the gut microbiome and if certain bacteria drive the development and growth of tumours in the gut.
Begun's team will test how common food additives, such as artificial sweeteners and emulsifiers, affect gut bacteria and trigger inflammation, a known precursor to cancer.
"We're treating microbiome samples from healthy people with additives to see if they become more inflammatory," Begun said.
"The next step is testing in preclinical models to see if these additives accelerate colorectal cancer progression."
The year-long study is funded by Mater and will involve around 20 volunteers.
The team is also exploring whether a novel anti-inflammatory compound, originally developed to treat inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), could help prevent colorectal cancer.
More than five thousand people die from bowel cancer every year in Australia, making it one of the country's most deadly cancers.
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